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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


GIFT  OF 


DANIEL    C.     OILMAN 


EDUC. 

PSYCH. 

LIBRARY 


ADDRESSES  TO  THE  PEOPLE,  No.  I. 


tonscls  0)t  S)riritoli$iiu 


BY   A 


C  ON N E  CTI C  U  T    P ASTO R 
J_  Henoch  "7^  f^'^^'CJ 


LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OI 

CALIFORNIA. 


NEW   YORK: 
PUBLISHED    BY    M.    W.    DODD, 

5  0  6     BROADWAY. 
1859. 


EDUC. 
PSXCH. 

LIBRARY 


printer  &  Strifotgper, 
No.  26  Frankfort  Street. 


UNIA 


COUNSELS  ON  SPIRITUALISM. 


And  when  they  shall  say  unto  you,  Seek  unto  them  that  have  familiar  spirits  and 
unto  wizards  that  peep  and  that  mutter;  should  not  a  people  seek  unto  their 
God? — Isaiah  viii:  19. 


The  Law  of  Moses  contains  the  following  passages  : 
"  There  shall  not  be  found  among  you  a  consulter  with 
familiar  spirits,  or  a  wizard,  or  a  necromancer  :  for  all 
that  do  these  things  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord." 
"  And  the  soul  that  turneth  after  such  as  have  familiar 
spirits,  to  go  a  whoring  after  them,  I  will  even  set  my 
face  against  that  soul  and  will  cut  him  off  from  among 
his  people." 

In  accordance  with  this  law,  Saul  treated  sorcery  as 
a  capital  crime.  When  his  own  misconduct  became  re- 
bellion,— a  rebellion  which  finally  extinguished  the  for- 
tunes of  his  house  in  tears  and  blood, — he  was  told  by 
Samuel  that  it  was  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft.  It  is  made 
one  of  the  greatest  virtues  of  the  good  kiug  Josiah,  that 
he  set  a  flinty  face  against  all  attempts  at  dealing  with 
spirits  ;  and  one  of  the  greatest  crimes  of  the  wicked 
king  Manasseh,  that  he  practised  and  abetted  such  at- 
tempts.    Malachi  declares  that  God  will  be  a  swift  wit- 


4  COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM. 

ness  against  the  sorcerer.  Under  the  ministry  of  Paul 
at  Ephesus,  the  dealers  in  curious  arts  brought  their 
books  together  and  burned  them  before  all  men — so 
great  was  the  felt  antagonism  between  their  new  prin- 
ciples and  their  old  practice.  And  even  the  mild  John 
is  found  teaching  just  the  same  severe  Gospel  that 
lighted  up  the  Ephesian  market-place  with  blazing 
parchments  worth  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver  ;  and 
closes  the  record  with  even  sterner  words  than  began  it 
— "  And  the  fearful,  and  the  unbelieving,  and  the  abom- 
inable, and  murderer,  and  whoremonger,  and  sorcerer, 
and  idolator,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the 
lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is 
the  second  death." 

The  fact  that  I  find  in  the  Scriptures  such  representa- 
tions as  these  is  my  chief  reason  for  offering  to  you 
some  thoughts  on  what  has  been  called  Spiritualism.  It 
is  no  choice  subject.  I  know  of  none  which  I  would 
more  willingly  avoid.  But  your  attention  is  now  being 
specially  called  to  it  through  the  press  and  local  circum- 
stances :  and,  on  referring  to  that  Religion  whose  en- 
tire lessons  I  have  undertaken  to  teach,  I  find  that,  so 
far  from  shunning  the  theme,  she  speaks  upon  it  after  a 
fashion  of  most  free  and  menacing  severity.  To 
her,  this  invoking  of  the  dead  is  no  innocent  diversion. 
To  her,  these  rappings  and  questionings  at  the  gate  of 
cloistered  spirits  are  no  harmless  curiosities  with  which 
one  can  properly  amuse  his  leisure,  and  while  away  the 
tedium  of  a  winter  evening.  She  places  sorceries  of  all 
sorts  under  solemn  ban.  They  are  such  trespasses  on  the 
night-side  of  nature  as  shall  enlist  against  the  tres- 
passer the  night-side  of  God.  Whether  as  principals  or 
accessories,  none  shall  engage  in  rebuilding  that  Black 


COUNSELS    ON    SIM  IMTL  ALISM.  5 

Art  which  Moses  cursed  .and  Christ  dismantled,  without 

repeating  the  experience  of  Julian,  and  bringing  out 
against  themselves  avenging  fires  from  the  old  founda- 
tions. Such  are  the  plain  teachings.  And,  holding 
them  to  be  divinely  true,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  waive  ob- 
jections to  an  unpleasant  and  somewhat  undignified 
topic,  and  for  once  seek  your  attention  to  some  ex- 
planations and  suggestions  respecting  that  system  of 
sorcery  which,  under  the  more  specious  name  of  Spirit- 
ualism, is  now  ambitiously  seeking  new  credence  and 
incurring  old  penalties. 

A  few  words  will  suffice  to  state  the  system.  In  this 
country,  it  claims  to  deal  almost  exclusively  with  the 
spirits  of  dead  men — abroad,  it  claims  to  deal  also  with 
spirits  not  of  our  race.  The  alleged  means  of  doing  this 
are  mostly  quite  different  from  those  employed  in  olden 
times.  Then,  circles  were  drawn,  drugs  burned,  rods 
waved,  mystic  formulas  muttered.  Now,  tables  are 
manipulated  ;  a  certain  fixing  of  the  eye,  or  certain 
passes  of  the  hand,  induce  in  persons  of  a  peculiar  tem- 
perament what  seems  like  sleep  or  trance  ;  sometimes, 
without  any  visible  effort,  persons  of  this  class  fall  into 
convulsions  and  other  strangely-appearing  states.  It  is 
claimed  that,  in  connection  with  these  things  and  some- 
times without  them,  wonderful  noises,  raps,  music,  mo- 
tions are  observed,  when  all  known  natural  causes 
of  such  phenomena  are  absent — articles  of  furniture 
of  all  kinds,  but  especially  tables,  tip,  turn,  shuffle  about 
the  room,  dance  about  in  the  air  even,  and  rap  out 
intelligent  answers  to  questions  both  verbal  and  mental 
— the  sleeping  or  trance  mediums  tell  the  thoughts 
of  those  with  whom  they  are  put  in  communication,  de- 
tail what  is  passing  in  distant  places,  describe  things  in 


6  COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM. 

the  spirit-world — while  others,  as  if  their  bodies  were 
possessed  by  other  wills  and  energies  than  their  own, 
independently  speak  or  write  what  purport  to  be  mes- 
sages of  Swedenborg,  Bacon,  Socrates.  It  is  maintain- 
ed that  these  are  literal  facts.  It  is  alleged  that,  being 
facts,  they  must  be  due  to  the  agency  of  spirits  not  em- 
bodied. And  we  are  recommended  to  put  ourselves 
in  communication  with  this  agency  to  learn  all  man- 
ner of  secrets  belonging  to  the  present  and  future  world 
— to  learn  History,  Science,  Morals,  Theology  ;  in  a 
word,  almost  any  thing  we  choose  to  inquire  about. 

Such  is  the  system.  No  doubt  it  has  many  sincere 
believers.  And  of  course  I  am  very  free  to  admit 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  spirit-world — a  world  of 
intelligent,  active,  and  powerful  beings  not  discern- 
ible by  bodily  organs.  It  is  also  freely  admitted  that 
these  spirits — angels,  devils,  disembodied  souls  of  men — 
feel  a  very  great  interest  in  human  affairs.  Not  less 
readily  is  it  admitted  that  in  past  ages  some  of 
these  spirits  have  actually  had  with  men  communica- 
tions of  the  most  striking  character  :  for  do  not  the 
Scriptures  tell  me  that  angels  have  visibly  brought  rev- 
elations to  men,  that  deceased  Moses  and  Elias  showed 
themselves  to  the  three  disciples  on  Tabor,  and  that 
a  large  number  of  persons  in  the  same  age  were  literal- 
ly taken  possession  of  by  demons,  who  convulsed  them, 
and  made  them  foam  at  the  mouth  very  much  as 
some  mediums  are  said  to  do  ?  Further,  as  a  believer  in 
the  Scriptures,  I  fully  grant  that  some  of  these  beings 
have  very  extensive  dealings  of  a  certain  kind  with 
us  still  :  good  spirits  ministering  to  them  who  shall 
be  heirs  of  salvation  ;  and  bad  spirits  going  about  seek- 
ing whom  they  may  devour,    contriving  temptations, 


COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM.  7 

suggesting  evil  thoughts,  taking  away  the  seed  of  truth 
from  hearts  in  which  it  has  been  divinely  sown.     Far  be 
it  from  me  to  do  otherwise  than  allow  most  unreserv- 
edly what  has  had  such  unwavering  reception  among 
practical  Christians  in  all  ages  !     And  I  may  even  go 
so  far  as  to  allow  that  there  are  some  new  natural  facts 
lying  at  the  basis  of  Spiritualism,  crude  and  imperfectly 
developed  as  yet,  but  which  in  time  and  in  right  hands 
may  be  of  some  service  to  mankind.     All  this  is  admit- 
ted most  freely  ;   and  yet  I  stand  here  to-day  for  the 
purpose   of  giving  a  very  unfavorable  account   of  Spir- 
itualism, and  one  as  confident  as  it  is  unfavorable.     I 
have   had   my  eye   on  it  for  years.      I  have  given  it 
such   examination    as   seems   to   me   greatly  sufficient. 
And,  as  the  result,  I  am  bold  to  testify  against  it  in 
behalf  of  both  science  and  religion.     To  the  best  of  my 
belief  it  is  their  enemy.     It  is  their  enemy  in  principles 
and  works,  by  stratagem  and  proclamation,  with  the 
right  hand  and  with  the  left.     And  the  least  I  feel  per- 
mitted to  say  to  you  is,  that  it  ought  to  be  most  de- 
cisively,  energetically,  and  summarily  rejected  ;    and 
that  he   best  consults   his  honor,  his   safety,    and    his 
virtue,  who  keeps  most  remote  from  its  influence. 

In  support  of  these  views  I  submit  the  following 
statements  : 

I.  A  vast  amount  of  delusion  and  imposture  has  been 
proved  against  Spiritualism. 

Every  person  who  has  been  wakeful  to  the  events  of 
the  last  few  years  has  known  very  many  cases  in  illus- 
tration of  this  statement.  He  has  perhaps  been  in  per- 
sonal contact  with  some  ;  he  has  known  others  very 
surely,  only  at  second  hand.  They  have  swarmed  to 
him  in  the  newspapers,  he  has  heard  them  recited  in 


8  COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM. 

lectures,  he  has  seen  them  amassed  in  books.  Mr.  Lewis 
publishes  his  certificate,  Mr.  Richmond  his,  Prof.  Page 
his,  Prof.  Watson  his.  Conscious  and  unconscious  mus- 
cular action,  ventriloquism,  concealed  machinery,  natu- 
ral magic  have  all  at  times  been  found  helping  to 
lift  the  natural  into  the  supernatural,  and  expand 
commonplaces  into  wonders.  Some  story  bristling  with 
marvels  sweeps  ambitiously  across  the  stage.  After 
a  little  comes  an  annihilating  exposure,  as  bristling 
with  unanswerable  signatures  and  affidavits.  Such 
undeniably  has  been  no  small  part  of  the  history  of 
Spiritualism.  And  it  has  often  pressed  very  sorely  the 
honor  and  credibility  of  some  of  the  most  prominent  pro- 
moters of  the  system.  The  Davises,  the  Sunderlands, 
the  Maxwells  have  ere  this  found  themselves  in  no 
enviable  position  before  the  public.  Their  delusions 
have  sometimes  looked  wonderfully  like  impostures. 
Are  the  two  exposures  of  the  medium  Fowler  already 
forgotten  ?  Do  we  not  still  well  remember  the  birth  of 
the  Great  Motive  Force  in  Massachusetts  ?  Does  not 
Auburn  still  blush  for  the  famous  colony  to  Mountain 
Cove,  in  Virginia  ? 

The  fact  is,  we  need  be  in  no  haste  to  admit  all 
the  wonderful  stories  told  of  the  feats  of  Spiritualism. 
Extravagances  are  no  new  thing  in  this  field.  The  his- 
tory of  the  system,  to  say  nothing  of  the  intrinsic  incred- 
ibility of  the  things  alleged,  will  warrant  us  in  making 
a  very  liberal  abatement  from  much  that  we  hear.  No 
doubt  we  are  fairly  entitled  to  suspect  that  if  many  of 
these  threatening  narratives  of  facts  were  properly  win- 
nowed of  their  chaff,  the  residuum  would  be  neither  very 
dazzling  nor  abundant.     We  may  fairly  presume  that 


COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM.  9 

a   thorough   criticism   would  cut  down   many  of   these 
Leviathan  marvels  to  very  moderate  dimensions. 

II.  The  phenomena  of  Spiritualism,  if  granted,  have 
not  the  least  scientific  value  as  proof  of  its  truth — to 
say  nothing  of  its  merit. 

By  the  truth  of  Spiritualism  I  mean  simply  the  reality 
of  spirit-intercourse  after  the  manner  claimed  by  Spir- 
itualists. And  now  I  affirm  that,  to  suppose  this  reality 
will  account  for  the  facts  no  better  than  other  hypothe- 
ses, which  on  the  whole  are  far  less  objectionable 
and  hard  to  credit.  Much  as  I  should  dislike,  both 
on  scientific  and  religious  accounts,  to  admit  in  all  their 
length  and  breadth  Mesmerism,  Electro-Biology,  with 
hypnotism,  clairvoyance  and  odylic  forces  ;  it  is  a  great 
deal  easier  to  do  this  than  to  admit  that  such  a  thing  as 
Spiritualism  is  true  under  the  government  of  God.  Yes, 
were  I  ever  to  be  sorely  pressed  by  the  facts,  I  certain- 
ly would  deem  it,  beyond  comparison,  most  rational  to 
take  refuge  in  the  dim,  wondrous,  and  interminable 
caverns  of  these  vaunted  sciences.  They  are  the  least 
of  the  two  evils.  They  leave  me  my  religion.  They 
leave  me  my  faith  in  Divine  Providence.  They  have 
a  certain  amount  of  plausible  basis  independent  of  the 
facts  to  be  explained  ;  which  Spiritualism  has  not.  And 
they  are  able  to  explain  these  facts  at  least  as  well 
as  Spiritualism  can  do — especially  after  some  allowance 
has  been  made  for  errors  and  deceptions  known  to 
be  rife  in  the  system — if  in  no  other  way,  at  least  by 
showing  that  there  are  mysterious  depths  of  strange, 
yet  purely  physical  and  psychological  facts,  of  which 
the  old  philosophy  never  dreamed  ;  facts  as  strange 
as  any  alleged  in  connection  with  the  spirits. 

Further,  as  good  evidence  as  exists  in  support  of  the 
1* 


10  COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM. 

phenomena  of  Spiritualism,  exists  to  show  that  they 
can  readily  be  produced  by  unbelievers  in  the  system, 
in  defiance  of  spirits,  and  even  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
proving the  reality  of  their  intercourse  ;  also  to  prove 
a  thousand  known  falsehoods  and  absurdities.  I  say  as 
good  evidence  :  and  I  speak  within  bounds.  The  ope- 
rator takes  his  stand,  and  challenges  all  spirits  far 
and  near.  He  bids  them  take  notice  that  he  is  about  to 
produce  the  phenomena  himself  to  the  confusion  of  their 
pet  system,  and  defies  them  to  stop  him  if  they  can. 
He  then  goes  forward,  and,  in  the  manner  of  the  me- 
diums, produces  the  same  results  as  easily  and  perfect- 
ly as  the  best  of  them.  Or  he  takes  his  stand  and  says, 
"  Listen,  all  ye  spirits  !  I  will  produce  your  phenomena 
to  prove  that  error  is  better  than  truth,  and  vice  better 
than  virtue;  that  black  is  white,  and  the  whole  of  a  thing 
greater  than  the  sum  of  its  parts."  Just  as  successful 
as  before.  The  tables  turn,  the  raps  are  given,  the 
speaking  or  writing  trances  show  themselves — in  a 
word,  no  believing  medium  could  do  the  thing  better. 
Now  I  do  not  vouch  for  these  accounts  :  I  only  say  that 
they  come  to  us  as  well  attested  in  every  particular 
as  any  ever  put  forth  by  Spiritualists.  Are  such 
phenomena  as  these  good  for  any  thing  as  proof  of 
Spiritualism  ?  What  is  the  evidence  worth  that  is 
equally  good  at  proving  a  doctrine  and  its  contrary — 
equally  good  at  proving  Spiritualism  and  the  veriest 
absurdities  that  can  be  mentioned  ? 

III.  The  origin,  means,  and  modes  of  Spiritualism  are 
nothing  in  its  favor. 

It  began  about  ten  years  ago,  in  Hydesville,  New 
York.  A  family  of  Foxes  were  the  first  professed 
mediums.     If  the  sworn  testimony  of  a  most  respect- 


COUNSELS   ON   SPIBITUALISM.  11 

able  relative  of  theirs  is  worth  any  thing — if  the  pub- 
lished certificate  of  the  Professors  in  the  Buffalo  Medi- 
cal College,  fortified  by  the  experiments  of  Dr.  Scheff,  of 
Frankfort,  Germany,  can  be  relied  on,  these  mediums 
began  their  career  either  wholly  or  in  part  as  impostors- 
Also,  up  to  the  present  time  a  respectable  character 
has  been  of  little  or  no  consequence  to  a  medium.  If 
his  conduct  is  fair,  it  is  all  very  well  ;  and  if  it  is  as  bad 
as  the  worst,  it  is  apparently  all  very  well,  too.  The 
spirits,  even  the  best-named,  do  not  hesitate — far  be 
it  from  them  to  be  fastidious  !  As  in  the  days  of  Christ, 
they  are  glad  to  enter  even  into  swine.  Some  of  the 
most  efficient  mediums  are  unpresentable  in  decent 
society  :  and  at  least  one  is  known  whose  performances 
were  nothing  save  when  he  was  drunk.  And  now,  be- 
hold !  by  grace  of  such  persons  shall  tables  dance  and 
turn  somersaults,  pokers  and  crockeiw  frisk  distractedly 
from  floor  to  ceiling,  chairs  run  tilting  at  each  other, 
untended  violins  play  dancing  voluntaries  and  Yankee 
Doodles  in  the  air  ;  to  say  nothing  of  scores  of  other 
feats  equally  ridiculous,  which  this  is  no  place  to  dwell 
upon  and  which  yet  have  a  place  in  the  Bibles  of  Spir. 
itualism.  Strange  things  these  to  belong  to  a  good 
system — especially  one  proposing  to  teach  religion  ! 
Strange  means,  modes,  sources  !  I  take  it  upon  me 
to  say  that  they  are  no  presumptions  in  favor  of  the 
spirits.  They  are  features  not  very  likely  to  be  found 
worn  by  a  rational,  dignified,  and  useful  system.  And 
one  can  hardly  be  blamed  if  he  starts  back  somewhat 
from  the  hard-favored  stranger  as  she  first  approaches 
him  with  extended  hand,  and  offers  to  come  into  his 
house  and  among  his  precious  children,  as  the  high- 
priest  and  prophet  of  a  new  dispensation. 


12  COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM. 

IV.  Spiritualism  is  rejected  by  the  great  mass  of  in- 
telligent, cultivated,  and  reliable  men  who  have  taken 
pains  to  examine  its  claims — even  of  those  who  are  dis- 
posed to  admit  as  genuine  some  of  the  leading  phe- 
nomena of  the  system. 

Some  reject  the  system  on  one  ground  and  some  on 
another  :  but  rejected  it  indisputably  is  by  nearly  all 
the  respectability  and  culture  and  learning  of  society. 
The  learned  professions,  the  Colleges,  the  Scientific  As- 
sociations, the  great  Quarterlies  of  the  press,  the  busi- 
ness men  whose  faculties  have  been  sharpened  and  dis- 
ciplined by  the  conduct  of  extensive  affairs — you  do  not 
find  these  ranged  under  the  banners  of  Spiritualism. 
Spiritualists  send  a  memorial  to  Congress  :  it  is  sum- 
marily cast  into  the  limbo  of  derision  and  forgetfulness> 
They  ask  the  favor  of  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science  :  the  assembled  science  of  the 
country  refuse  the  application  without  ceremony.  They 
apply  to  the  National  Institute  of  France  :  that  great 
body  gives  notice  once  and  again  that  all  papers  on 
that  theme  will  share  the  fate  of  those  relating  to  the 
perpetual  motion.  There  has  been  no  want  of  due 
examination  of  the  system  by  men  of  this  first  class. 
For  more  than  ten  years  the  facts  and  testimonies,  such 
as  they  are,  belonging  to  the  subject,  have  been  exten- 
sively circulated  and  canvassed.  They  have  been  care- 
fully discussed  in  such  periodicals  as  the  New  England- 
er,  the  North  American  Review,  the  London  Quarterly, 
and  the  Westminster  Review — they  have  been  probed  by 
such  men  as  make  the  reputation  of  the  Universities  of 
Edinburgh  and  Harvard — they  have  been  probed  by 
such  men  as  Babinet,  Arago,  Faraday,  Brewster  ;  also 
in  this  country  by  such  as  Bancroft,  Willis,  Bryant, 


COUNSELS    OX    SPIRITUALISM.  13 

Cooper,  Tuckerman.  Id  a  word,  the  system  of  Spiritual- 
ism as  professing  to  deal  with  spirits  has  had  abundant 

investigation  from  those  most  capable  of  judging  of  its 
merits — and  uniformly  with  one  result.  While  many 
have  recognized  in  the  phenomena  of  the  system  some 
new  and  interesting  facts  in  physics  and  psychology* 
they  all  agree  in  rejecting  the  system  itself  as  either 
false  or  diabolical.  I  say  all.  By  this  I  mean  that  the 
exceptions  are  relatively  so  few  as  to  be  of  no  account : 
as  few,  for  example,  as  may  be  found  supporting  Mor- 
monism  or  any  other  equally  preposterous  scheme. 

This,  plainly,  is  a  fact  worth  being  known  by  persons 
who  have  had  comparatively  limited  means  of  indepen- 
dent judgment  of  Spiritualism.  If,  substantially,  all  the 
druggists  and  chemists  and  physicians  in  Christendom 
have  certified  me  that  a  certain  drug  is  spurious  or 
noxious,  I  am  bound  as  a  reasonable  man  to  have  a  care 
how  I  use  it  and  introduce  it  into  my  family.  I  proba- 
bly shall  refuse  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it — 
shall  recommend  the  same  course  to  my  friends  :  and 
who  can  accuse  me  of  acting  irrationally  ? 

V.  The  ablest  friends  of  Spiritualism  substantially 
confess  it  worthy  of  rejection. 

This  they  do  by  confessing  that  no  dependence  can 
be  placed  on  its  communications,  and  that,  granting 
they  are  from  spirits,  the  best  that  can  be  said  of  them 
is  that  they  are  largely  from  wicked  spirits,  and  may  be 
entirely  from  that  source.  Hear  what  Edmonds,  the 
leading  Spiritualist  in  this  country,  says  :  "  In  the  first 
place,  the  mind  of  the  medium  influences  the  message — 
then  the  states  of  the  atmosphere  and  locality  have 
something  to  do  with  it — next  the  harmony  or  discord 
of  the  mortals  who  are  present.  And  finally,  many  of  the 


14  COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM. 

spirits  themselves  have  a  very  decided  propensity  to 
mischief  and  evil.  Selfish,  intolerant,  malicious,  and 
delighting  in  human  suffering  upon  earth,  they  continue 
the  same,  for  a  while  at  least,  in  their  spirit  home  :  and 
having  in  common  with  others  the  power  of  reaching 
mankind  through  the  newly-developed  instrumentality, 
they  use  it  for  the  gratification  of  their  predominant 
propensities,  with  even  less  regard  than  they  had  on 
earth  for  the  suffering  that  they  inflict  on  others.  Some- 
times it  is  with  a  clearly  marked  purpose  of  evil,  avowed 
with  a  hardihood  which  smacks  of  the  vilest  condition 
of  mortal  society.  Sometimes  its  fell  purposes  are  most 
adroitly  veiled  under  a  cover  of  good  intentions."  Such 
is  the  testimony  of  Edmonds  as  published  several  years 
ago.  Within  a  few  months  he  has  delivered  a  lecture 
in  which  he  repeats  these  views  in  still  stronger  forms* 
He  says  that  the  mediums  often  mistake  their  own 
thoughts  for  spirit-messages,  that  the  spirits  themselves 
often  make  the  most  egregious  mistakes  as  well  as  tell 
the  greatest  falsehoods  knowingly,  that  wicked  spirits 
often  personate  those  which  are  good,  and  that,  up  to 
the  present  time,  no  sure  criterion  has  been  discovered 
for  distinguishing  between  the  two  classes — in  short, 
admitting  that  it  is  impossible  to  rely  on  the  accu- 
racy of  any  of  the  responses  and  messages  given  in  the 
circles  till  verified  in  experience. — Hear  what  Sweden- 
borg  himself  says,  or  mediums  of  the  best  class  in  his 
behalf:.  '•The  spirits,"  says  he,  "relate  things  exceed- 
ingly fictitious  and  full  of  lies.  When  spirits  begin 
to  speak  with  man,  man  must  beware  lest  he  believe 
them  in  any  thing,  for  they  say  almost  any  thing  ; 
things  are  fabricated  by  them,  and  they  lie  ;  for  if  they 
were  permitted  to  relate  what  heaven  is,  and  how  things 


COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM.  15 

are  in  heaven,  they  would  tell  so  many  lies,  and  indeed 
with  solemn  affirmation,  thai  man  would  be  astonished." 

— One  of  the  most  prominent  Spiritualist  loaders  in  the 
Western  States  was  asked  by  President  Mahan  whether 
he  regarded  the  revelations  in  the  circles  as  reliable 
sources  of  information.  He  confessed  that  he  did  not. 
"There  is  not  a  medium  on  earth,"  said  he,  "whose 
communications  I  would  commit  myself  to.  If  their 
revelations  accord  with  sound  philosophy,  I  believe 
them  :  if  not,  I  disbelieve  them."  "  That  is,"  said  a  by. 
stander,  "you  believe  these  communications  when  they 
accord,  and  disbelieve  them  when  they  do  not  accord, 
with  your  own  philosophy.  Every  man  must  act  on 
the  same  principle,  and  we  are  all  left  just  where  we 
should  be  in  the  total  absence  of  all  such  revelations." 

Now  I  ask  such  of  you  as  may  be  invited  to  give 
up  your  faith  in  the  Bible,  or  any  of  its  doctrines,  on  the 
authority  of  mediums  and  spirits,  to  remember  these  ad- 
missions. When  you  are  told  that  the  spirits  say  that 
all  men  are  happy  as  soon  as  they  leave  the  world, 
just  reply  that  their  own  oracles  confess  that  spirits 
often  lie,  and  that  there  is  no  known  way  of  distinguish- 
ing* the  truthful  from  the  false.  When  you  are  told  that 
the  spirits  say  that  the  Scriptures  abound  in  errors 
of  doctrine  and  morality,  just  reply  that  their  own 
oracles  confess  that  mediums  often  mistake  their  own 
sentiments  for  spirit-messages  ;  and  that,  if  spirits  are 
really  speaking,  the  case  is  not  helped  at  all — for  Spir- 
itualism itself  says  that  spirits  are  of  as  uncertain  judg- 
ment and  truthfulness  as  men.  In  view  of  these  admis- 
sions 1  marvel  at  the  friends  of  Spiritualism.  If  all  its 
information  is  uncertain  till  verified  by  experience,  of 
what  use  is   it?       And   if  every  one  who  goes  to  the 


16  COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM. 

circles  is   sure  of  dealing  largely  with  wicked  spirits, 
and  may  deal   with    none    others,    why   are   they  not 
afraid  thus   to  join  hands  with  death   and  hell  ?     But 
some  one  says,  "  It  is  the  spirit  of  my  father,  or  mother, 
or  sister,  or  child,  which  communicates  with  me,  and  I 
know  it  too  well  to  fear  that  it  will  deceive  me."     Yes, 
but  the  authorities  of  Spiritualism  say  that  wicked  spir- 
its often  counterfeit  the  good  :  and  how  do  you  know 
that  what   purports   to    be    your   truthful    and   tender 
mother  is  not  some  Satan  in  disguise,  luring  you  on 
to  your  ruin  ?      You   are   asked  to   go  to   the   circles 
and  propose   questions   to   the   spirits.     Before    going, 
remember  that  if  Spiritualism  is  true  you  will  go  to 
have  dealings,  for  aught  you  can  tell,  with  the  Devil  ; 
and  that  if  Spiritualism  is  false  you  will  have  to  answer 
for  your  going  to  that  God  of  the  Bible  who  declares, 
that  he  will  set  his   face   against  every  soul  that  at- 
tempts to  consult  spirits,  and  cut  him  off  from  among 
his   people.     And  what  folly  is  it  for  a  man  to  give 
up  the  pure  and  honored  and  tried  religion  of  his  fathers 
for  a  novelty  that  really  confesses  that  there  is  only  one 
thing  certain  about  it,  and  that  is,  that  its  teachings  are 
largely  from  wicked  and  lying  spirits  !     As  for  myself, 
I  would  as  soon  build   a  house   and   stake  out  a  farm 
on  the  scarred  and  heated  sides  of  an  active  volcano  as 
commit  myself  to  Spiritualism,  had  I   nothing  but  its 
own  acknowledgments   to  guide  me.     What  matters  it 
that  the  smokeless  cone  to-day  shines  fairly  in  the  sun- 
light, and  that  here  and  there  a  blade  of  green  grass 
can  be  seen — and  perhaps  a  flower  bright  as  any  that 
ever  toyed  with  zephyr,  and  nodded  gay  defiance  at  the 
sun  ?     For  all  this  the  whole  region  may  be  blazing 
upon  me  like  very  Etna  before  another  day  has  gone. 


COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM.  17 

Those  ashes  still  warm  to  my  feet,  these  furrows  newly 
ploughed  by  the  fiery  rivers,  these  mephitic  gases  es- 
caping from  a  hundred  fissures,  these  chasms  freshly 
gaping  into  hell — God  forbid  that  I  should  establish  my 
home  on  a  mountain  which  makes  such  confessions 
of  its  character,  and  such  prophecies  of  danger  ! 

VI.  The  teachings  of  Spiritualism  contradict  the  Bible, 
the  science,  the  common  sense,  and  the  common  con- 
science of  mankind — and  even  themselves. 

We  have  seen  that,  if  the  system  were  true,  it  would 
not  cast  a  shadow  of  suspicion  upon  the  truth  of  the 
Bible.  Lying  spirits  are  not  good  witnesses,  even 
against  Moses  and  Christ;  and  Spiritualism  confesses  that 
it  has  many  such,  and  no  means  of  distinguishing  them 
from  others.  So  all  its  testimonies  against  the  Bible,  if 
it  has  such,  go  for  nothing.  But.  if  spirits  do  actually 
now  communicate  with  men,  the  Bible,  instead  of  being 
discredited,  stands  confirmed  in  several  important  par- 
ticulars. It  is  then  true,  as  the  Book  says,  that  man 
has  a  spiritual  nature  essentially  independent  of  the 
body.  It  is  true,  as  the  Book  says,  that  death  is  not  the 
end  of  man  :  there  is  for  him  a  future  state  of  thinking, 
active,  conscious  life.  It  is  true,  as  the  Book  says,  that 
unembodied  spirits  are  every  where  about  us,  feeling 
great  interest  in  human  affairs,  suggesting  evil  thoughts, 
deceiving,  tempting  to  sin.  Also,  the  demoniacal  pos- 
sessions of  the  New  Testament  are  confirmed.  Thus  a 
true  Spiritualism  must  furnish  a  new  stone  to  lay  in  the 
already  mighty  foundation  of  Christian  evidences  ;  just 
as  many  an  enemy  has  heretofore  done  for  the  city  he 
has  assailed.  "The  Goth  seems  to  be  present  under 
the  walls,  0  Belisarius, — bringing  stones  from  far,  and 
building  his  mounds  of  attack  in  the  cloudy  twilight." 


18  COUNSELS   ON  SPIRITUALISM. 

11  Ah,"  says  the  hero,  "  is  it  so  ?  Then  to-morrow  we 
shall  have  the  means  of  strengthening  the  flanks  of  the 
Pincian."  And  sure  enough,  the  same  light  that  re- 
veals the  enemy  places  his  far-fetched  blocks  in  the 
walls  of  the  city,  and  Rome  is  stronger  than  ever.  So 
will  it  be  on  the  day  that  finds  the  spirits  authentic. 
The  Bible  shall  profit  by  them.  It  shall  stand  all  the 
more  firmly  on  its  everlasting  hills,  through  aid  of  the 
truths  necessarily  implied  in  a  genuine  spirit-inter- 
course. 

The  spirits  are  no  evidence  against  the  Bible  ;  but 
the  Bible  is  great  evidence  against  the  teachings  of  the 
spirits.  These  teachings  contradict  the  Bible  :  and  so  all 
the  great  arguments  which  go  to  show  it  to  be  the  Word 
of  God — its  purity,  its  reforming  power,  its  adaptation 
to  the  entire  nature  and  wants  of  man,  its  want  of  adap- 
tation to  serve  the  purposes  of  imposture,  its  trium- 
phant appeal  to  the  intellects  and  hearts  of  multitudes  of 
the  greatest  and  best  men  that  ever  lived,  its  prophe- 
cies, its  miracles  established  on  evidence  as  massive  as 
supports  any  historical  facts  whatever — all  these  go  to 
show  that  the  contradicting  errors  of  Spiritualism  are 
to  be  rejected.  Now  this  system  has  taught  such 
things  as  the  following  : — Christ  was  an  impostor. 
There  is  no  such  being  as  Satan.  There  is  no  future 
punishment.  There  is  no  personal  God.  There  is  no 
such  thing  as  sin  ;  and  so  on  to  a  hundred  particulars. 
I  am  far  from  saying  that  Spiritualism  has  uniformly 
taught  such  things  ;  I  only  say  that  it  has  often 
taught  them,  and  taught  them  as  credibly  as  it  has  ever 
taught  any  thing — with  just  as  many  outlandish  won- 
ders, through  just  as  good  mediums,  from  just  as  well- 
named  and  well-behaved  spirits.    If  these  messages  are 


COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM.  19 

unreal  or  false,  there  are  none  in  the  whole  sisterhood 
of  messages  which  have  any  thing  to  stand  upon.  And 
that  these  are  either  unreal  or  false,  I  ehargc  in  the 
name  of  that  great  mass  of  evidence  that  the  Bible  is 
true,  which  for  ages  has  triumphantly  sustained  the 
criticisms  of  the  profoundest  scholarship  and  genius,  and 
on  which,  confessedly,  nothing  in  Spiritualism  can  cast 
a  shadow  of  suspicion. 

The  teachings  of  Spiritualism  also  contradict  science. 
And  here  I  hardly  know  where  to  begin  ;  for  there  is 
scarcely  a  well-established  principle  in  science  which 
has  not,  at  one  time  or  another,  been  called  in  question 
by  the  spirits.  Does  the  earth  revolve  around  the  sun  ? 
What  purports  to  be  the  spirit  of  George  Washington 
has  no  objection  to  denying  the  fact.  Are  the  sun, 
moon  and  stars  placed  at  unequal  distances  from  the 
earth?  The  spirit  of  Benjamin  Franklin  makes  no  dif- 
ficulty in  denying  that.  Chemistry  is  a  delusion,  accord- 
ing to  the  spirit  of  Davy  ;  and  Euclid  mistaken  in  his 
theorems,  according  to  the  spirit  of  Newton.  I  am  far 
from  saying  that  Spiritualism  has  uniformly  taught  such 
things  :  I  only  say  that  such  teachings  have  often  been 
given,  and,  indeed,  can  be  obtained  any  day — and  that, 
too,  with  as  much  show  of  astonishing  authentication  as 
ever  attends  on  the  teachings  of  Spiritualism.  If  these 
spirit  messages  are  unreal  or  false,  pray  what  evidence 
have  we  that  any  others  are  better  ?  The  rest  are  no 
better  substantiated  than  those  which  so  fly  in  the  face 
of  science ;  and  if  their  evidence  is  demonstrated  to  be 
just  good  for  nothing,  just  good  for  nothing  is  the  evi- 
dence of  all  the  rest. 

The  teachings  of  Spiritualism  also  contradict  the  com- 
mon sense  and  the  common  conscience  of  mankind.     I 


20  COUNSELS    ON   SPIEITUALISM. 

would  not  have  credited  some  instances  that  follow,  had 
I  not  found  them  resting"  on  authority  of  the  very  high- 
est kind.  What  think  you  of  Bacon,  now  two  hundred 
years  in  the  spirit  world,  sending  us  specimen  philo- 
sophical essays  that  would  do  no  credit  to  a  school-boy — 
of  Shakespeare  and  Corneille  sending  us  specimen  com- 
edies and  tragedies  which  their  best  friends  would 
silently  burn,  even  if  dug  up  in  yellow  and  faded  auto- 
graphs from  their  old  earthly  homes — of  Clay  and  Web- 
ster sending  us  specimen  speeches,  the  like  of  which 
had  they  been  wont  to  speak  on  earth,  their  public  ca- 
reers would  have  been  of  the  briefest  ?  What  think  you 
of  Napoleon  and  Wellington  disputing  in  the  spirit 
world  about  their  rival  tactics,  and  marshalling  over 
against  each  other  battalions  of  ghosts  in  illustration  ? 
What  think  you  of  spirits  operating  in  railroad  stocks  ? 
What  think  you  of  the  doctrine  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  sin — that  there  is  no  more  guilt  in  perjury,  rob- 
bery, adultery,  murder,  than  in  the  movements  of  a  steam 
engine  ?  What  think  you  of  such  blasphemies  as  that 
Swedenborg  went,  while  in  the  body,  to  see  the  Al- 
mighty, and  took  dinner  with  Him  ?  What  think  you  of 
the  doctrine  that  the  family  institution  is  a  nuisance 
that  ought  to  be  abated,  and  that  the  true  felicity  of 
mankind  is  communism  and  free-love  ?  All  this  has 
Spiritualism  taught — and  much  more  and  worse — such 
things  as  cannot  be  mentioned  here  for  very  shame. 
Now,  I  do  not  say  that  Spiritualism  always  teaches  after 
this  absurd  and  wicked  manner  ;  only  that  it  has  often 
done  so,  and  done  so  with  all  the  proofs  of  a  genuine 
spirit-revelation  that  it  ever  gives.  And,  I  ask,  what  is 
the  evidence  worth  that  teaches  me  that  such  doctrines 
are  true? 


COUNSELS   ON   SPIRITUALISM.  )>\ 

Also,  the  teaching  of  Spiritualism  contradicts  itself. 

I  say  but  a  word  here  ;  for  I  have  already  incidentally 
given  instances  of  this  species  of  contradiction.  In  one 
circle  the  spirits  "will  preach  infidelity,  in  another  Ro- 
manism,  in   another   even    Mohammedanism  ;    for   an 

Egyptian  spirit  even  testifies  in  France  to  the  heaven 
of  Mohammed.  You  only  need  to  know  what  sentiments 
are  held  in  the  circle,  in  order  to  know  what  doctrines 
the  spirits  will  favor.  Does  such  a  system  as  this  come 
from  good  spirits  ?  Does  it  come  from  spirits  at  all  ? 
What  is  the  evidence  worth  that  is  equally  good  at 
establishing  a  doctrine  and  its  contrary  ? 

I  have  sat  at  the  feet  of  very  many  teachers  ;  and  I 
am  willing  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  very  many  more.  But 
they  must  have  some  credentials.  I  must  have  some 
assurance  that  at  least  they  will  not  guide  me  to  de- 
struction. In  the  case  of  Spiritualism  I  have  no  such 
assurance.  Evidently  this  is  no  star-crowned  angel, 
beauteous  as  the  blush  of  morn  over  Eden,  and  fresh 
from  the  throne  of  God.  She  is  not  even  a  respectable 
Gamaliel.  Her  lessons  are  often  bad,  sometimes  mon- 
strous, and  never  to  be  depended  upon  ;  she  enforces 
with  the  same  unction  and  evidence  true  and  false,  good 
and  bad  ;  her  flexible  needle  points  all  round  the  com- 
pass, and,  not  seldom,  with  a  profound  dip  at  both  ends  ; 
she  writes  her  name  as  freely  and  legibly  on  the 
back  of  doctrines  known  by  any  sound  conscience  to  be 
shocking  and  infernal  as  on  others  ;  at  times  her  very 
breath  burns  blue,  and  she  thrusts  out  upon  us  the  forked 
and  hissing  tongue  of  a  dragon.  Shall  wo  put  ourselves 
to  school  to  such  a  teacher  ?  Shall  we  take  her  into  our 
families  to  help  train  our  children?  Our  consciences — 
shall  we  give  them   into  her   keeping?     Our  paternal 


22  COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM. 

Bibles — shall  we  shut  them  forever  for  her  poor  sake, 
and,  with  our  hands  trustingly  in  hers,  go  down  into 
the  shadows  of  death  and  out  into  the  boundlessness 
of  eternity  ? 

VII.  Spiritualism  refuses  to  answer  certain  reasona- 
ble test  questions,  which,  if  answered  well,  would  prove 
its  truth  to  most  minds  beyond  controversy. 

Christianity  gives  such  evidence  of  herself  as  she 
pleases.  And  if  some  one  ventures  to  suggest  that 
certain  other  proofs  would  be  more  convincing  to  multi- 
tudes, she  replies  that  she  has  given  sufficient — that  it 
is  inconsistent  with  her  principles  to  give  more.  And 
no  one  can  show  it  is  not  so.  But  it  can  be  shown  per- 
fectly in  keeping  with  the  genius  and  habits  of  Spiritu- 
alism to-  answer  such  questions  as  I  am  about  to  men- 
tion. -It  purports  to  answer  questions  of  the  same  kind 
every  day,  and  all  over  the  country.  Whether  relating 
to  matters  scientific,  literary,  financial,  political,  relig- 
ious— it  evidently  is  all  the  same  to  the  spirits.  They 
are  consulted  about  news  of  the  day,  about  wills,  about 
investments,  about  dress,  about  eating  and  drinking, 
about  domestic  matters  of  the  humblest  and  most  secu- 
lar sorts  ;  and  they  often  find  it  convenient  to  give  cate- 
gorical answers  on  all  these  topics.  In  a  word,  they  have 
the  largest  liberty  of  speech — seem  embarrassed  by  few 
limitations  save  those  of  ignorance — are  wonderfully  com- 
plaisant and  accommodating  to  human  curiosity.  And 
of  course  they  can  pass  with  the  utmost  facility  every 
where  ;  no  solid  bodies  are  any  obstacles  to  their  vision 
or  progress — a  few  minutes,  at  the  outside,  would  suf- 
fice to  carry  them  down  to  the  centre  or  round  the  girth 
of  the  globe.  They  are  also  represented  as  very  anxious 
to  communicate  with  living  men,  and  especially  with 


COUNSELS    ON    SPIRITUALISM.  23 

near  relatives  ;  also  to  establish  the  truth  of  Spiritual- 
ism firmly  in  the  confidence  of  mankind.  How  very 
easy  for  them  to  do  it !  With  such  ranges  of  flight  and 
knowledge,  and  with  such  large  permission  to  respond 
about  all  matters  in  earth  and  heaven  with  which  they 
may  happen  to  be  acquainted — how  very  easy  for  them 
to  solve  certain  test  questions,  and  set  the  public  forever 
at  rest  as  to  the  reality  of  their  communications  !  Why 
not  describe  those  £500  which  Prof.  Simpson  kept  so  long 
in  bank  at  Edinburgh  waiting  their  convenience  ?  Will 
it  be  claimed  that  spirits  who  can  pass  through  granite 
vaults  and  iron  safes  as  light  through  a  window,  and  are  as 
free  as  air  to  tell  what  they  can  discover,  could  not  do  it? 
Why  not  report  for  some  paper  in  New  York  a  synopsis 
of  the  news  of  the  London  Times  of  the  same  morning,  and 
do  it  regularly  for  a  month?  Will  it  be  pretended  that 
such  spirits  as  Spiritualism  tells  us  of,  would  have  any 
difficulty,  moral  or  other,  in  doing  it  ?  On  the  days  that 
the  English,  French,  Russian  and  American  treaties 
with  China  were  signed,  why  could  not  the  spirits  have 
copied  them  off  into  the  Spiritual  Telegraph,  and  called 
to  all  the  world  to  take  notice  if,  when  the  documents 
came  to  hand  through  the  ordinary  channels,  they  would 
not  be  found  the  same,  word  for  word  ?  Something  of 
this  sort  would  be  very  convincing — would  shave  the 
now  mighty  Samson  of  unbelief  of  his  locks — nay,  would 
strike  as  many  darts  through  his  heart  as  Joab  did 
through  Absalom's  :  and  surely  such  spirits  as  Spiritu- 
alism tells  us  of  could  do  it,  and  would  be  glad  to  do  it. 
There  are  vast  treasures  of  lost  gold  and  gems  scat- 
tered about  the  surface  of  the'earth,  or  a  little  beneath 
that  surface  ;  there  are  rich  mines  of  the  precious  met- 
als, of  coal,  and  other  valuable   substances  everywhere 


24  COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISM. 

underlying  the  soil  ;  why  will  not  the  spirits  prove  them- 
selves, help  the  country,  and  enrich  their  mediums  and 
other  friends    by  pointing   out  the   golden  spots  ?     It 
surely  cannot  be  claimed  that  they  lack  ability  to  do  it, 
or  permission,  or  that  they  are  embarrassed  with  any 
scruples  of  conscience  !     I  have  often  wondered  that 
with  such  extraordinary  and  accommodating  agents  at 
their  beck,  the  mediums  and  circles,  especially  the  more 
needy  ones,  have  not  made  some  discoveries  of  this  sort, 
and  easily  lifted  themselves  and  their  cause  into  princely 
revenues,  instead  of  drudging  away  at  their  farming, 
or  fishing,  or  parish  charity.    I  repeat  it,  something  like 
this  would  be  very  convincing — would  clear  the  atmos- 
phere which  Spiritualism  now  finds  it  so  hard  to  breathe 
of  its  damp,  chilling  vapors  of  dissent  and  dispute,  like  a 
searching  north  wind  ;  and  if  the  system  is  true,  there 
is   nothing  to  hinder  our  having  such  decisive  facts. 
Has   anybody   ever  heard   of  any  thing  of  the  kind  ? 
Will  any  ever  hear  of  it  ?     Instead   of  retailing   such 
small  wares  as  that  some  obscure  John  had  a  sister  mar- 
ried on  such  a  day  in  Georgia,  and  so  discipling  John's 
wife  and  children,  why  do  they  not,  seeing  they  are  as 
easily   able,    trade   in   demonstrations    like    merchant 
princes,  and  so  disciple  the  whole  land  in  magnificent 
haste  ?     Instead  of  straying  about  the  country  and  cut- 
ting off  his  enemies  in  inglorious  detail,  in  the  course  of 
half  a  century,  what  general,  confident  in  his  star  and 
having  the  freedom  of  every  method,  would  not  prefer 
to  sweep  them  away  all  at  once   in   a  decisive   battle 
which  should  dazzle  all  lands  with  his  glory,  and  the 
echoes  of  which  should  dwell  forever  among  men  ?     It 
is  easy  enough,  and  generally  safe  enough,  to  give  out 
that  a  certain  obscure  woman's  husband  is  dead  in  Cal- 


COUNSELS   OX   SPIRITUALISM.  25 

ifornia  ;  but  let  the  spirits  prove  themselves  on  Buch 
facts  as  we  have  here  mentioned,  and  which  can  be 
verified  by  every  body.  Then  I,  for  one,  will  admit 
them  to  he  lost  spirits,  and  as  such,  to  be  foughl 
against  with  all  manner  of  truth  and  righteousni 

VIIT.  The  tendencies  of  Spiritualism,  as  historically 
developed,  are  most  pernicious. 

We  have  seen  that  the  teaching's  of  the  system  are 
often  of  the  most  immoral  and  disorganizing  nature  ; 
and  generally  so  open  to  mistakes  and  contradictions 
as  to  be  just  fitted  to  unsettle  faith  in  every  thing. 
The  very  purpose  to  deal  with  what  may  be  wicked 
spirits,  is  itself  corrupting.  The  results  in  the  history 
of  Spiritualism  are  just  what  one  would  expect.  In 
those  communities  where  it  has  flourished  any  length 
of  time,  it  has  weakened  domestic  ties  ;  fed  immorality  ; 
gradually  passed  into  spiritual  marriages,  free-love 
Fourierism,  no-governmentism,  and  almost  every  other 
bad  thing  that  chooses  to  take  the  name  of  reform. 
Very  recently  a  colony  of  Spiritualists  started  off  to 
found  a  settlement  in  one  of  the  Middle  States,  on  prin- 
ciples worse  than  those  of  the  Mormons.  Have  you  not 
heard  of  the  Rutland  Convention — and  do  you  ever  want 
to  hear  of  another?  Such  are  the  results  into  which 
the  system  is  continually  developing  itself ;  though  it 
has  many  friends  and  victims  who  are  not  aware  of  the 
fact,  and  would  be  alarmed  and  shocked  at  it  if  they 
were.  If  a  Spiritualism  with  such  fruits  is  true,  then, 
truly  enough,  Satan  is  abroad,  demoniacal  possessions 
have  again  come  about,  the  denunciations  of  the  Scrip- 
tures against  sorcerers  and  wizards  and  witches  have 
for  us  a  terrible  pertinency  ;  and  the  sooner  we  betake 
ourselves  to  holy  exorcisms  of  the  wicked  spirits  by 
2 


26  COUNSELS    ON    SPIEITUALISil. 

prayer,  and  faith,  and  good  works,  and  close-clinging  to 
that  pure  and  satisfying  Christianity  which  God  and 
our  fathers  have  bequeathed  us,  the  better. 

Such  is  the  system.  A  vast  amount  of  delusion  and 
imposture  has  been  proved  against  it.  Its  phenomena, 
if  granted,  have  not  the  least  scientific  value  as  proof 
of  its  truth — to  say  nothing  of  its  merits.  Its  origin, 
means  and  modes  are  nothing  in  its  favor.  It  is  re- 
jected by  the  great  mass  of  intelligent,  cultivated,  and 
reliable  men  who  have  taken  pains  to  examine  its  claims 
— even  of  those  who  are  disposed  to  admit  as  genuine 
some  of  the  leading  phenomena  of  the  system.  Its 
ablest  friends  themselves  virtually  confess  it  worthy  of 
rejection.  Its  teachings  contradict  the  Bible,  the  science, 
the  common  sense  and  common  conscience  of  mankind — 
also  themselves.  It  refuses  to  answer  certain  reasonable 
test  questions  which,  if  well-answered,  would  prove  its 
truth  to  most  minds  beyond  controversy.  Its  tendencies 
as  historically  developed,  are  most  pernicious.  These 
are  suggestive  facts.  In  their  light  I  trust  you  have  seen 
the  new  necromancy  and  sorcery  to  be  abundantly  worthy 
rejection.  So  I  ask  you  to  reject  it  for  yourselves, 
for  your  families,  and,  as  far  as  your  influence  extends, 
for  your  neighbors  and  the  public  at  large.  Do  not 
practice  it,  do  not  consult  it,  do  not  patronize  it  by  your 
presence  at  its  circles.  And,  to  assist  your  duty,  re- 
member the  attitude  of  uncompromising  hostility  which 
Christianity,  (which  Spiritualism  can  do  nothing  to  dis- 
credit), both  under  the  form  of  the  old  and  of  the  new 
dispensation,  has  always  taken  toward  every  sort  of 
an  attempt  to  open  up  a  sensible  intercourse  with  the 
spirit-world.  As  we  have  seen,  she  sternly  charges  all 
who  value  her  favor,  desire  to  maintain  a  place  in  her 


COUNSELS    ON   SPIRITUALISE.  27 

Church  here,  and  propose  to  secure  a  place  in  her 
heaven  hereafter,  to  wash  their  hands  of  all  complicity 
with  such  enterprises.  We  know  not  all  the  reasons  of 
her  will  ;  but  the  will  itself  we  do  knowT.  It  is  explicit, 
decisive,  peremptory.  It  stands  out  with  sharp  and 
angry  definition,  like  that  cloud  you  saw  last  evening 
lying  motionless  in  the  wrest — centrally  dark,  but  with 
its  edge  sketched  on  the  black  sky  by  the  crowded  and 
impatient  lightnings  in  such  an  abrupt  and  fiery  line  as 
was  almost  fearful  to  see.  In  vain  we  plead  our  restless 
curiosity — in  vain,  urgent  solicitations  and  the  impreg- 
nable firmness  of  our  faith.  Religion  will  take  no  ex- 
cuse. She  has  drawn  her  line,  she  has  built  her  wall — 
up  to  the  very  stars  she  has  built  it  ;  and  woe  worth 
the  man  wdio  attempts,  in  person  or  by  proxy,  under 
this  pretence  or  under  that,  to  dig  through  the  blazing 
adamant  into  the  secret  things  which  belong  to  God. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

E"*'  r  ■" ""  ■'"J'/M/'Nrv 


,'U. 


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